When Daphne Returned
by Rossnrachgal
Summary: One shot following Niles and Daphne after we last see them in "Daphne Returns." Their conversations and sweet moments after being together for the first time. Rating for some adult themes. Please review. I recently watched Frasier for the first time and love this couple. Please read the other fics I recently wrote about them as well.


Niles and Daphne's bodies rocked back-and-forth as one. For months, they had been getting to know each other on a deeper level. And despite being madly in love with each other, they had held off on consummating their relationship. All Niles had wanted to do for so long was take her in his arms and show her how much he loved her. But he had the utmost respect for her and understood her wish to wait.

Daphne's weight gain was certainly an unexpected road bump at the beginning of their relationship. It never bothered Niles one bit, but once he understood Daphne's reasons for overeating, he couldn't help but feel guilty. She had just returned from nearly three months at the health spa. Per her wishes, Niles had only visited her a handful of times in that period. But they talked everyday, and she always reassured him that when this was over, he was the only one she wanted waiting for her.

Their fight in Frasier's living room had turned into a sudden onslaught of passion. They both knew they had to have each other then and there as there was nothing else keeping them from making love this time. As the lust soared through their bodies, they had suddenly realized that the living room floor probably wasn't the most romantic place for their first time. Daphne took her lips off of Niles' just long enough to say "Bedroom?" Without giving her a verbal response, he had pulled her up off the floor and quickly led her to her room.

As their eyes met again, Daphne felt the final wave of pleasure moving through her body. Their fingers were interlaced as Niles surrendered himself to her. His body collapsed by her side as they both exhaled heavily.

"Wow," Niles gasped, still trying to catch his breath. He turned on his side and was now facing Daphne. He brushed a few hairs out of her face.

"Wow is one way to put it," she replied, as a smile came over her face. She reached for Niles' cheek, gently tracing her fingers over it.

"You, you are amazing," Niles said shyly.

"You're not so bad yourself," Daphne replied. "I'm starting to rethink my decision to make you wait eight months to make me yours. What have I been missing out on all this time?"

Niles pulled her into his body, cradling her head on his chest. She softly ran her fingers over his sweaty chest.

"Hey, you don't have to say that. I know you needed time to sort things out. And we agreed to wait for my divorce to be final anyway. That took four months, and you left for the spa a month later," Niles said, trying to reaffirm their decision to wait.

"Well, if I knew you could do that thing you did there at the end, I reckon we would have made love on our first date," Daphne joked.

Niles ran his fingers through her hair. "You liked that, huh?"

"Mmm-hmm," Daphne giggled.

"God, I missed you," Niles softly said as he hugged her tightly.

"I missed you too. And I love you like crazy," Daphne replied gently as she lifted her head to kiss him.

"I love you too," Niles whispered.

"Seriously though, I'm sorry I made you wait so long."

"You stop saying that. The wait just made this moment more special. I waited seven years to tell you how I felt about you. A few more months didn't make a difference to me."

Daphne grazed her fingers across his upper chest.

"I'm so sorry if I ever made you feel you had something to live up to. I just want you to know, I adore everything about you. Weight gain or not, I love you," Niles declared.

"It wasn't your fault. It was me. I suppose leaving Donny the way I did and jumping into another relationship just left me with issues I didn't know I had. Either way, I've loved being with you and can't believe how lucky I am."

Niles kissed the top of her head.

"You were so patient with me and I just want you to know how grateful I am for you. Even if you are the food snob you are," Daphne teased.

"I'm grateful for you too," Niles said.

"You know, we never had dinner. Want me to run to the kitchen to fetch us a snack?" Daphne asked.

"As long as you're not cooking it," Niles riskily joked.

Daphne sat up from his embrace and gave him a dirty look. "Oh, you're asking for it."

He pulled her back towards him and passionately pressed his lips against hers. So soft and sensual, every kiss with her made his heart beat faster.

"I'll go get us something. What do you want to drink?" she asked as she got up out of bed and put on her robe.

"Water's good. Thank you, sweetie," he replied. "Oh, and pick up the stuff we knocked over too. I don't think Frasier would appreciate our antics out there."

Daphne nodded in agreement and laughed.

Minutes later she returned with a bowl of fresh fruit and a plate of cheese and crackers. She set it all on the nightstand.

"This looks great, Daph."

Daphne removed her robe and returned to the bed. Niles' eyebrows rose in agreement as she snuggled up next to him. She reached for a cracker and piece of cheese, and then seductively fed it to Niles. In turn, he grabbed a strawberry from the bowl of fruit and put the tip of it in his mouth. Leaning into Daphne, he allowed her to take the other end with her mouth.

"Can we do all of our meals like this?" Niles asked as she slowly took the strawberry from him.

"Yes, but we probably better do it at your place. I can't imagine your brother will want us making love in his apartment all the time," Daphne said.

"Well, I'm not leaving you tonight. He'll just have to deal with it. We don't even have to tell him I'm here. I'll sneak out early in the morning."

"Sounds good to me," Daphne agreed and smiled. "You know what I was thinking just now?"

Niles glanced at her. "Hmm?"

"You're suspenders. God, those are sexy."

"Really? Mmm, well maybe I'll have to model them for you later."

"Once I fit back in me red dress, I'll model it for you."

"I can't say I'll argue with that," Niles grinned. "But please don't think that I expect you to wear it if you don't want to."

"I want to," Daphne assured him. "I think it would make me feel good about myself."

"You look great in everything you wear," Niles complimented.

"I don't think I ever told you this, but I bought that dress just for that night. I haven't even worn it again," Daphne confessed.

"Really? I guess that makes me special, doesn't it?"

"I suppose you're sort of special," Daphne teased. She handed Niles more crackers and fruit.

"That was one of the greatest days of my life. But I think the greatest day of my life is the day you decided you wanted to be with me, but you already knew that right?" Niles asked.

Daphne nodded. "Why, yes, I thought that might be it."

"And was that the greatest day of your life?" Niles joked.

"That day's up there," she agreed. "It's funny how that was supposed to be the greatest day of my life because I was getting married. But I'll never forget the look on your face when I told you I had changed my mind. That day was hard for so many reasons, but great for even more."

Niles gave Daphne a light kiss.

"Maybe I didn't know it at the time, but the day your brother told me you had feelings for me might be up there too. So much had to fall into place for it to happen the way it did."

"I'm forever thankful for his back pain," Niles said.

"Oh, you stop." Daphne playfully slapped him on his shoulder.

They finished eating their snack and snuggled back up into bed together. Niles softly kissed Daphne's arm as he lay down next to her.

"What do you want to do this weekend? Do you still want to go away and go dancing? We can do whatever you want," Niles commented.

"I wouldn't mind a romantic dinner at your place. Just you, me, candles, and some of this." Daphne leaned into him and provocatively kissed him.

"I'm sold!" Niles exclaimed. "Just us and a nice weekend in."

"And maybe I'll bring some DVDs. Chick flicks all around," Daphne teased.

"I'll watch anything you want, my love. Even if it's those cheeky movies you love so much."

"I guess that means they'll be plenty of operas for me soon then?"

"You bet. You were gone three months and we've got to make up for lost time!" Niles exclaimed.

They stared at each other, both smiling from ear to ear.

"What?" Daphne asked.

"Nothing. I'm just lucky, that's all."

"Why's that?" Daphne asked despite knowing the answer.

"I know you don't care for the opera. But you're willing to go with me anyway."

"Well, you're willing to watch my silly romantic comedies."

"If it means I get to hear your adorable laugh, then it's worth every minute," Niles admitted.

"Oh, you like me laugh?" Daphne responded. She knew how much he loved her laugh. He told her all the time.

"I love your laugh. I love your gleaming eyes. I love your smile, your kind soul, the way you let your bangs fall into your eyes."

"Is that all?" Daphne inquired.

"That doesn't even scratch the surface. I love how you taught me how to dance, how silly you are with my dad and brother, your bravery, your sense of humor."

Niles moved closer to sniff her hair. "The way you smell."

Daphne beamed at the sound of this. She knew all these things already, but she loved hearing him say them anyway.

"Well, I'd say you passed the good boyfriend test with all that."

"Do you love anything about me?" Niles jokingly asked.

"Suspenders."

"That's it?" He poked her in the arm.

"Beautiful blue eyes." She fell silent again to mess with him.

"Suspenders and eyes," he said.

"The way you always put others before yourself, especially me."

He smiled at the sound of those words.

"Your intellect. I learn so much from just listening to your stories. Your wittiness and shyness. It took you so many years to tell me you loved me, and while I wish you'd told me sooner, I think it's so sweet that you had a crush on me for so long."

Silence overcame them for a moment, until Daphne thought of another reason.

"Your tongue," she said playfully, eyeballing Niles.

"Mmm, is that a hint?" he whispered back.

"Maybe."

Niles slowly began kissing her. Daphne melted into his mouth, giving in to his every kiss and caress. She felt shivers moving throughout her body as Niles kissed her. As she verbally let him know she agreed with his motions, they both heard sounds coming from the living room.

Once he realized that Frasier and his father were home from dinner, Niles said "Shhh" as he looked up at her.

"Please don't stop," Daphne pleaded. "I'll try to be quiet."

It took everything she had not to scream his name a thousand times over, but she was able to stay quiet as Niles showed her how much he loved her.

"Oh my God," she whispered, pulling him to the top of the bed and into a deep embrace. "You're just too good at that."

"I won't try as hard next time," he quietly joked, knowing they needed to be quiet if they wanted to continue being alone together. He didn't want anyone to interrupt this amazing night he had waited so many years for.

"No, no. You keep up the good work," she responded softly.

Daphne got up and tiptoed over to the light switch by the bedroom door, turning off the light and quickly returning back to the bed.

"I like this," Niles said. "We've gone to sleep together so many nights, but none were quite like this."

He cuddled her tightly as she ran her hands across his chest hair, lightly tapping her fingers on him.

Daphne agreed, "Mmm-hmm. I like this too." She yawned.

"Tired?" Niles asked, still being quiet.

"Getting there," she responded. "It's been a long couple of days. It's almost weird being back here after being gone so long."

"Well I'm glad you're back. I don't know how much longer I could have gone only seeing you once every two or three weeks."

"You didn't like having bachelor time with your brother? I bet you Crane men acted crazy while I was away."

"We had a party to raise donations for our prep school. It was pretty wild," Niles sarcastically said. "And no, I didn't like having bachelor time. I missed my Daphne time."

"I love you, Niles," Daphne gently proclaimed, giving him one more kiss on the cheek.

"I love you too, darling," he replied, pulling her ever so close to him so that they could drift off to sleep. "Good night."

"Good night, honey."


End file.
